Amplifier fast connector

Abstract

An amplifier connector including a housing having a first end with an aperture for receiving a bare cable end into a rib-receiving space between a pair of inner jaw members. The jaw members can be clamped on the cable end by moving a sliding sleeve with a wedge from an unlocked configuration to a locked configuration. A second end of the connector includes electrical contacts coupled with the pair of jaw members.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A connector, comprising:
 a housing including a first portion, the first portion including:
 a first opening and a second opening within the housing; 
 a positive terminal within the first opening including first and second paired jaw members with a first wire-receiving space therebetween; and 
 a negative terminal within the second opening including third and fourth paired jaw members with a second wire-receiving space therebetween; 
 
 a locking sleeve coupled with the housing; 
 wherein in a first configuration, the first and second jaw members of the positive terminal are open to receive a first cable end within the first wire-receiving space and the third and fourth jaw members of the negative terminal are open to receive a second cable end within the second wire-receiving space; 
 wherein in a second configuration, the locking sleeve is in a locked position, the locking sleeve engaged with at least one of the first and second jaw members to close the first and second jaw members about the first cable end, and the locking sleeve engaged with at least one of the third and fourth jaw members to close the third and fourth jaw members about the second cable end such that the first and second cable ends are retained within the respective positive and negative terminals. 
 
     
     
       2. The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the first jaw member is a movable jaw member. 
     
     
       3. The connector of  claim 2 , wherein the second jaw member is a fixed jaw member. 
     
     
       4. The connector of  claim 3 , wherein the movable jaw member is pivotable about a first pin. 
     
     
       5. The connector of  claim 3 , wherein the movable jaw member is movable about a compliant portion thereof. 
     
     
       6. The connector of  claim 3 , wherein the movable jaw member is biased away from the second jaw member in an open configuration. 
     
     
       7. The connector of  claim 6 , wherein the movable jaw member is coupled with a spring member. 
     
     
       8. The connector of  claim 3 , wherein the locking sleeve includes a first wedge and a second wedge;
 wherein in the locked position, the first wedge of the locking sleeve is engaged with the movable jaw member to close the first and second jaw members about the first cable end, and the second wedge of the locking sleeve is engaged with the at least one of the third and fourth jaw members to close the third and fourth jaw members about the second cable end. 
 
     
     
       9. The connector of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second wedges are independently actuatable. 
     
     
       10. The connector of  claim 8 , wherein the first wedge includes a first ramp surface aligned with the movable jaw member in a first direction, the locking sleeve configured to move from an unlocked position to the locked position in the first direction. 
     
     
       11. The connector of  claim 10 , wherein the first ramp surface has an angled profile. 
     
     
       12. The connector of  claim 10 , wherein the first ramp surface has a stepped profile. 
     
     
       13. The connector of  claim 3 , wherein the first jaw member and the second jaw member comprise a plurality of teeth. 
     
     
       14. The connector of  claim 1 , further comprising a locking mechanism configured to fix the locking sleeve in the locked position relative to the housing. 
     
     
       15. The connector of  claim 14 , wherein the locking mechanism includes a projection and an aperture, the aperture configured to receive the projection such that in the second configuration, the locking sleeve is in the locked position with the projection coupled within the aperture. 
     
     
       16. The connector of  claim 15 , wherein the projection is on the housing and the aperture is on the locking member. 
     
     
       17. The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the locking member includes a slide member, the first and second wedges positioned on the slide member. 
     
     
       18. The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a second portion, the second portion including:
 a positive contact conductively coupled with the positive terminal; and 
 a negative contact conductively coupled with the negative terminal. 
 
     
     
       19. The connector of  claim 18 , wherein the positive contact comprises an outer cylindrical portion protruding from the housing and is coaxially mounted about an inner cylindrical portion of the negative contact. 
     
     
       20. The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the first wire-receiving space includes an inner transverse profile. 
     
     
       21. The connector of  claim 20 , wherein the inner transverse profile is cylindrical. 
     
     
       22. The connector of  claim 20 , wherein the inner transverse profile includes one or more transverse teeth extending into the first wire-receiving space. 
     
     
       23. The connector of  claim 20 , wherein the inner transverse profile includes one or more circumferential teeth extending into the first wire-receiving space. 
     
     
       24. The connector of  claim 20 , wherein the inner transverse profile is uniform from a front end to a second end of the first wire-receiving space. 
     
     
       25. An amplifier fast connector, comprising:
 a housing including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion including:
 a first opening within the housing, the first opening providing access to a positive terminal, the positive terminal including a first movable jaw member, a first fixed jaw member, and a first wire-receiving space between the first movable jaw member and the first fixed jaw member, the first movable jaw member biased away from the first fixed jaw member by a first elastic member; and 
 a second opening within the housing, the second opening providing access to a negative terminal, the negative terminal including a second movable jaw member, a second fixed jaw member, and a second wire-receiving space between the second movable jaw member and the second fixed jaw member, the second movable jaw member biased away from the second fixed jaw member by a second elastic member; 
 
 the second portion including:
 a positive contact conductively coupled with the positive terminal; 
 a negative contact conductively coupled with the negative terminal; and 
 wherein the positive contact comprises an outer cylindrical portion protruding from the housing and coaxially mounted about an inner cylindrical portion of the negative contact, the inner cylindrical portion protruding from the housing; 
 
 a locking sleeve slideably disposed about the housing and movable in a first direction relative to the housing from an unlocked position to a locked position, the locking sleeve including:
 a slide member; 
 a first wedge coupled with the slide member and including a first ramp surface aligned with the first movable jaw member in the first direction; 
 a second wedge coupled with the slide member and including a second ramp surface aligned with the second movable jaw member in the first direction; and 
 a locking mechanism including a catch member on the housing and a slot on the locking sleeve, the slot configured to receive the catch member; 
 
 wherein in a first configuration, the locking sleeve is in an unlocked position and the first and second movable jaw members are open to each allow a cable end to be received through the respective first and second openings and into the respective first and second wire-receiving spaces; 
 wherein in a second configuration, the locking sleeve is in a locked position with the catch member coupled within the slot, the first wedge engaged with the first movable jaw member to close the first wire-receiving space, and the second wedge engaged with the second movable jaw member to close the second wire-receiving space such that the cable ends are retained within the respective positive and negative terminals.